What can parents actually do when their child's school is using too much technology? In the final episode of our Ask the Experts: School Tech Edition back-to-school series, I'm joined by Emily Cherkin, The Screentime Consultant, a former middle school teacher, parent, author, and longtime advocate for healthier technology use in schools. Using questions submitted by parents, we tackle some of the biggest challenges families are facing: excessive screen time, school-issued laptops, i-Ready and other EdTech platforms, YouTube access, AI embedded in school devices, opting out, student privacy, and what to do when a school simply says no. Emily offers practical advice for parents who want to push back without making teachers' jobs harder—and challenges us to rethink the way we approach school technology. Instead of asking schools, "Can I opt out?", she suggests a different approach: "I decline this technology until you can show me that it is effective, safe, legal, and better than teacher-led instruction—and that the evidence is independent, verifiable, and replicable." We also talk about why hearing "no" from your school doesn't have to be the end of the conversation, how parents can organize with other families, when to take concerns to the school board, and why incremental change matters. And Emily makes an important distinction: she isn't anti-technology. She's pro–technology education, not educational technology. Children need to learn how technology works, how to think critically about it, and how to use it responsibly—but that doesn't mean they need unrestricted access to technology throughout their childhood. As Emily puts it, "The best preparation for a digital future is an analog childhood." If you've been wondering how to protect your child's childhood and education in an increasingly digital school environment, this episode is for you. Emily's Substack: First Fish Chronicles Emily's Unplug EdTech Toolkitl Scimago Journal Ranking Tool How to Vet Screentime Research: A 7-Step Checklist from Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath Substack: What a Recent FTC Amicus Brief Means for EdTech How to Vet Screentime Research: A 7-Step Checklist from Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath The Reckoning-- essay about Alpha Get your copy of The Digital Delusion by Dr. Jared Cooney-Horvath here. 7 Ways to Advocate for a Tech-Safe School Year (A Parent Action Guide) You can find dozens of parent templates for school tech advocacy at Tech-Safe Learning. This is the final episode of our four-part Ask the Experts: School Tech Edition mini-series, where we've brought your biggest back-to-school questions to leading experts in neuroscience, education, online safety, and child development. This special series is made possible through a generous donation from Buckets Over Bullying, a nonprofit organization committed to eliminating cyberbullying among children and teens. For additional resources, parent guides, and tools to help you advocate for healthier technology in schools, visit techsafelearning.org.
